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Good morning to all new and old readers! Here is your Wednesday edition of Faster Than Normal, exploring one short story about a person, a company, a high-performance tool, a trend I’m watching closely, and curated media to help you build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself. 

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Today’s edition:

Cheers,
Alex

P.S. Send me feedback on how we can improve. I respond to every email.

Stories of Excellence

Person: Harold Hamm

Harold Hamm is a self-made oil tycoon and billionaire. Born in 1945 to sharecroppers in Oklahoma, he started his career as a truck driver. In 1967, at age 21, he founded Continental Resources. The company pioneered horizontal drilling in North Dakota's Bakken formation. This technique revolutionized U.S. oil production. Hamm's net worth peaked at $18.7 billion in 2014. He's known for his strong opinions on energy policy. "America has the resources to become energy independent," he often says. Despite market volatility, Hamm remains optimistic about the oil industry's future. He continues to lead Continental Resources as executive chairman.

Key Lessons from Harold Hamm:

• On persistence: "I've been shot at, sued, audited, and investigated. But I never gave up."

• On self-reliance: "I'm a product of the American dream, not the government." On vision: "I saw opportunity where others saw nothing."

Read More.

Company: General Electric

General Electric (GE) was founded on April 15, 1892, in Schenectady, New York, through the merger of Thomas Edison's Edison General Electric Company and the Thomson-Houston Electric Company. Edison, already a renowned inventor, brought his expertise in electric light and power systems. The company's initial focus was on manufacturing and selling electrical equipment. GE quickly expanded into various industries, including transportation, healthcare, and aviation. By 1896, it was one of the original 12 companies listed on the newly formed Dow Jones Industrial Average. Over the years, GE has been known for its innovation, producing everything from light bulbs to jet engines. As of 2024, GE reported annual revenue of over $80 billion.

Key Lessons from General Electric:

• On adaptability: Be willing to shed what's not working. GE's former CEO Jack Welch was known for his "fix, sell, or close" approach to underperforming divisions. Don't let sentimentality cloud your judgment.

• On succession planning: Plan for leadership transitions meticulously. The handover from Jack Welch to Jeff Immelt was smooth, but subsequent transitions were rocky. Your company should be bigger than any one leader.

• On financial discipline: Keep a close eye on your balance sheet. GE Capital's over-expansion nearly sank the company during the 2008 financial crisis. Your financial arm shouldn't overshadow your core business.

Read More.

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Accelerants

High-performance tool

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Systems vs. Goals

To achieve more, focus on the process first—the system—that will get you to the goal.

Doing something every day is a system—like writing for 1 hour.

Writing a book is a goal.

"Goals determine your direction. Systems determine your progress.”

—James Clear

Insights

Tactical reads

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> When maximizing personal productivity and efficiency
How to Be Really, Really, Ridiculously Productive (Read it here)

> When implementing a consistent weekly review practice
The One-Touch Guide to Doing a Weekly Review (Read it here)

1 question

That’s all for today, folks. As always, please give me your feedback. Which section is your favourite? What do you want to see more or less of? Other suggestions? Please let me know.

Have a wonderful rest of week, all.

Recommendation Zone

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Why Faster Than Normal? Our mission is to be a friend to the ambitious, a mentor to the becoming, and a partner to the bold. We achieve this by sharing the stories, ideas, and frameworks of the world's most prolific people and companies—and how you can apply them to build businesses, wealth, and the most important asset of all: yourself.

Faster Than Normal is a ‘state' of being’ rather than an outcome. Outlier performance requires continuous, compounded improvement. We’re your partner on this journey.

Send us your feedback and help us continuously improve our content and achieve our mission. We want to hear from you and respond to everyone.

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